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10 May, 2010

Update, Kind Of

Oh dear, I'm very lax about updating the blog these days! Apologies; I've been busy with (lots of, ack) dental appointments, teaching a seminar and various other things, and truth be told, am not feeling very inspired Edward II-wise at the moment. Merely a temporary state of affairs, I'm sure. My next post, on the aftermath of Thomas of Lancaster's execution in 1322 and his 'sainthood', is coming very soon. (I hope.)

I got an email a couple of days ago with some great news: a film about Edward II called Uncertain Proof is currently in production and is due for release in the spring of 2011. The film is set in 1340 and features Manuel Fieschi, the Italian cleric who wrote to Edward III in the 1330s to tell him that his father survived Berkeley Castle, as the main character, who investigates Edward II's true fate. To quote from the website, "the action covers just 24 hours but flashbacks portray Edward II’s life, his love of the joust, his supposed death and funeral, and the execution of his friend, Hugh Despenser." Yippee!!!! Can't wait! (Not entirely sure about that 'love of the joust', however; 'love of watching Piers Gaveston joust', maybe?)

There are a few historical novels I'm really looking forward to reading in the next few months: Susan Higginbotham's next one, of course, the excellently-titled The Queen of Last Hopes, about Margaret of Anjou, queen of Henry VI. Sherry Jones' novel about the four sisters of Provence in the thirteenth century who all became queens, one of whom was Edward II's grandmother Eleanor. Sacred Treason, a thriller set in 1563, by James Forrester, better known as historian Ian Mortimer. Vanora Bennett's The People's Queen, about Edward III's mistress Alice Perrers (another novel about her, not long after Emma Campion's The King's Mistress; funny how you wait years for a novel about Alice Perrers then two come along within a few months). And Christy English's The Queen's Pawn, about Edward II's great-great-grandmother Eleanor of Aquitaine and Alais of France, who should have been Eleanor's daughter-in-law and who was also Edward II's great-great-grandmother. (Alais, married Guillaume Talvas, count of Ponthieu -> Marie of Ponthieu, married Simon de Dammartin, count of Aumale -> Jeanne de Dammartin, countess of Ponthieu and Aumale, married Fernando III of Castile -> Eleanor of Castile, countess of Ponthieu, married Edward I -> Edward II.)

And to fill up this post, here are some blog search strings from the last day or two.

thomas boleyn pimp

red hot plumbing beeston

why did they torcher with hot poker during 15th century I love it that someone can't spell 'torture'.

means of death by inserting a sharp object into the anus up the spine

It wouldn't be my blog if I didn't get this search a few times a week: Did Willaim Wallace have an affair with issabel and William Wallace and Queen Isabella

eleanor of aquitaine's fornication with Henry's father

Two questions I can't answer: What happened in portugal in 1219?

Which Saints wore a purple robe encrusted in jewels?

mortimers living in Seend Wiltshire in 1700

the ordinance caused the great famine of 1315 Whatever Edward II may have thought, I'm sure it wasn't the 1311 Ordinance banishing Piers Gaveston that led to the Great Famine.

Likely, there were at least a few people who had lunch, changed clothes, did some kind of work, and perhaps even bathed. Though we cannot be certain about that last, as it WAS Portugal, after all. ;P

I agree wholeheartedly with Clement of the Glen. Ma douce dame, you post enough of these fascinating posts to put some of us (*ahem* meaning myself, as I am quite lazy in this area!) to utter shame.

It might be, too, that your feeling uninspired is Edward's fault. He might be off swimming with peasants, again, instead of poking at you to write about him. I am sort of doing the same with Kai, except that instead of swimming, I am hiding in the Palais de la Cité and whining about the weather and about being stuck in Paris. He keeps insisting I must finish the post that I do not wish to work on at this time, so what is there for me to do but hide? Well, I could yell at him, but knowing him, he would only yell back at me and I should have to throw him into the Louvre so as not to appear nepotistic.

Par Dieu, how I ramble... So, perhaps Ned is off swimming, or digging a ditch, or thatching some roof or other. I am certain he shall return, soon. :)

Clement, the trick is that I have no life, hahaha. ;) Seriously, I much prefer immersing myself in the early 14th century to doing almost everything else! Most of the time, anyway, if not at the moment.

Susan, you're welcome! I wonder about Hugh in the film - maybe you're right that it's not a speaking part. The man in black on the website is seriously attractive... ;)

Anerje, thanks! I'm sure I'll have lots of proper posts soon. ;)

Gabriele, wonder if there's something in the water! And yes, the damn red-hot poker appears numerous times a day in blog searches.

Mon trescher sire le roy de Fraunce et de Navarre, I love it when you ramble, and your ramblings are always most welcome here and on Facebook! LOL re Portugal. ;-) I think Edward has abandoned me to go swimming with peasants, actually. Either that or he's digging ditches at Langley. Pffft, abandoning me who loves him most! I don't blame you for whinging about the weather, monsire, if it's the same as here - how dare the weather gods send us such rubbish in May?? ;-)

Ah, there you go, ma chère Kathryn, being so kind to me, again! But also, PFF! upon Kai, for he will not allow me to play on Facebook. He says I am already over-spoilt with a blog, Twitter and Myspace. Myspace is no fun; I never play there and no one ever speaks to me! I believe he is just afraid he shall have to do more scribe work. And he thinks *I* am lazy. Huh!

I forgot to say last time that the ordinance causing the famine was funny. Would that we could ordain such things! I should ordain nothing but fair weather, except in times when rain is needed. Then it should never rain when I am in Vincennes! That is my complaint: it rains when I am in the woods, and stops when I go back to Paris!! Now it rains all over, so I am miserable either way. :(

Silly Edward. He should be ashamed to abandon you! He should take you along to share the entertainments. It is what I would do. Except for the digging of ditches. I would not dig ditches, in the first place. But swimming...Mmm. That would be nice. Of course, we could go swimming on the roof of the palais, right now, with all this incessant RAIN. *grumble* :(

Edward's titles, 1312

Edward, par la grace de DIEU, Roi d’Engleterre, seignur d’Irlaunde, ducs d’Aquitaine, & conte de Pontif & de Monstroil
[Edward, by the grace of GOD, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine, and Count of Ponthieu and Montreuil]

Edward II's coronation oath: translation

Sire, will you grant and keep and by your oath confirm to the people of England the laws and customs given to them by the previous just and god-fearing kings, your ancestors, and especially the laws, customs, and liberties granted to the clergy and people by the glorious king, the sainted Edward, your predecessor?
I grant and promise them.
Sire, will you in all your judgments, so far as in you lies, preserve to God and Holy Church, and to the people and clergy, entire peace and concord before God?
I will preserve them.
Sire, will you, so far as in you lies, cause justice to be rendered rightly, impartially, and wisely, in compassion and in truth?
I will do so.
Sire, do you grant to be held and observed the just laws and customs that the community of your realm shall determine, and will you, so far as in you lies, defend and strengthen them to the honour of God?
I grant and promise them.

Penny of Edward II's reign

Tomb of Edward II

Amouncement of the birth of Edward III, November 1312

Isabella, by the grace of God, Queen of England, Lady of Ireland, and Duchess of Aquitaine, to our well-beloved the Mayor and aldermen and the commonalty of London, greeting. Forasmuch as we believe that you would willingly hear good tidings of us, we do make known to you that our Lord, of His grace, has delivered us of a son, on the 13th day of November, with safety to ourselves, and to the child. May our Lord preserve you.

Berkeley Castle, scene of Edward II's imprisonment

Letter of Queen Isabella to Edward II, 1314

My very dear and dread Lord, I commend myself to you as humbly as I can. My dear Lord, you have heard how our seneschal and our controller of Ponthieu have come from Ponthieu concerning our affairs; ...I beg you, my gentle Lord, that by this message it may please you to request your chancellor by letter that he may summon those of your council to him and take steps speedily in this matter, according to what he and your council see what is best to do for your honour and profit....May the Holy Spirit keep you, my very dear and dread Lord.

The Vita Edwardi Secundi on Edward II and Piers Gaveston

I do not remember to have heard that one man so loved another. Jonathan cherished David, Achilles loved Patroclus. But we do not read that they were immoderate. Our King, however, was incapable of moderate favour, and on account of Piers was said to forget himself, and so Piers was accounted a sorcerer.